Restorative Environments

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The Methodist Hospital Outpatient Clinic, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. (WHR Architects, Aker Photography) One of my most favorite projects, 1.6 mil sq. ft., 26 floors, opened in summer 2010. My original role was the Interior Team Leader, but was asked to revise the medical and space planning and so glad to accept the challenge. My goals were to bring natural light as far into the interiors as possible, to maximize views to nature, to create a consistent vocabulary of architectural elements to support intuitive wayfinding, to provide intentional places for art, and to never lose sight of creating a state-of-the-art patient experience. All laudable concepts and only possible with the great team at WHR. During the revision, I was able to pull many exam rooms away from the exterior walls on most of the floors. In some clinics, this allowed the corridor to be wider and accommodate small patient sub-wait areas. In the Oncology Infusion area, this created a shared and private corridor allowing patients and families to relax and visit during treatments. In the Oncology clinic, I was able to widen spaces at the end of long corridors meeting the exterior wall; these spaces became family lounges allowing them to be close to the exam rooms and nearby if needed. I created art walls in every clinic waiting area that sliced through the space. This housed the ceremonial clinic entrance. The art wall provided vertical space for hanging art but also a horizontal counter for three-dimensional pieces. The building had a very irregular column size and grid but I was able to capitalize on the size by incorporating display cases for art as well as bringing back some symmetry. The patient experience was always at the top of the list however, and I constantly took mental tours of the building and thought about what was the patient going to see here and what would they think and how would they feel. Great client, great team, great project.

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Linda Porter Bishop, ASID, IIDA, AAHID, LEED-AP
Linda believes in the power of design to heal. She works with clients around the world to create Restorative Environments so healing can begin. Her theory of The New Five Senses present a welcome challenge to re-think the design of healthcare facilities.